Residents recover belongings after powerful Typhoon Nesat wiped out most of the homes near the bay along a coastal village in Navotas, north of Manila, Philippines on Sept. 28. Emergency services and residents in the Philippine capital cleaned up and restored electricity Wednesday after the powerful typhoon unleashed floodwaters and fierce wind that killed at least 20 people and sent huge waves crashing over seawalls.

The Philippines, an archipelago nation described as a "welcome mat" for typhoons, is preparing for another direct hit less than two days after Typhoon Nesat flooded the capital of Manila and much of the island of Luzon, affecting more than 300,000 Filipinos.

In the rice-farming town of Jaen, many of the 63,000 residents were still awaiting rescue on Wednesday, according to Mayor Santiago Austria, but the town had only four rescue boats. The town of Obando, north of Manila, is still under waist-high water, according to a separate AP report. ABC reports that eight dykes broke in Obando alone and rescuers in trucks have been unable to get through the high waters.

“Had it not been for this storm, we could reach record output this year,” Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said in an interview with DZRH Radio, when asked about rice production. “We’re praying for the sun to shine.”

The agriculture agency and central bank are reviewing the extent of crop damage. The Philippines used to be the world's largest importer of rice, but cut its imports by half and significantly increased domestic production. On Sept. 26, before the typhoon's arrival, the country was on track to meet its production target for the year.